Dogs hound rabbit-raiser

BY ART BUKOWSKI
abukowski@record-eagle.com

June 27, 2009 08:50 pm

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CEDAR -- Julius Bugai is frustrated, if not hopping mad.

Bugai raises rabbits on Alpine Road in rural Leelanau County and contends his neighbor's dogs continuously raid his bunny stock.

He's tried to take precautions, but the big dogs always find a way to get to his rabbits, which he raises to sell to restaurants.

"There's been times when they got close to 30," Bugai said. "They just kill them and leave them lay."

The dogs are samoyeds, a large breed similar to a husky. They belong to Scott and Michael Ann Gauthier and are used for mushing, authorities said.

Bugai believes stiff penalties are warranted after thousands of dollars in damages to his stock, and contends authorities haven't taken enough steps to prevent the carnage.

"I call every time and report it," Bugai said. "I guess they give him a little fine every now and then, but it doesn't help me ... to me, the prosecuting attorney should do something."

Police responded to six incidents at Bugai's residence since 2006, Leelanau County Undersheriff Scott Wooters said. Doug Donaldson, the county's chief assistant prosecutor, said he's spent plenty of time on the issue and takes it seriously.

"I'm in the process of working with the tools I have to craft what I hope will be a long-term solution," he said.

A misdemeanor dog-at-large charge against Scott Gauthier is pending in district court. He previously paid two $75 tickets for loose dogs, a court spokeswoman said, and had two similar charges dismissed last year after he agreed to build a large fence on his property.

"I think Scott is motivated to control his animals; it's not like he's not making efforts," Donaldson said. "Could they be better efforts? Absolutely."

Michael Ann Gauthier said she and her husband wouldn't comment on the issue.

Donaldson hopes to have the operation classified as a kennel, which would give county animal control officers the right to periodically inspect the fence. He also would like to petition the state to classify the dogs as dangerous animals, which could lead to dire consequences if they continue to cause trouble.

"If they're caught at-large again, it's essentially the death penalty for them," he said.

Bugai legally could shoot the dogs, but he doesn't blame them for their behavior.

"It's not really the dogs' fault, it's (Gauthier's) fault," he said.

Donaldson said the issue has dragged on for several years, and other neighbors have complained about the dogs. One neighbor's dog wandered onto the Gauthier's property and was killed by their dogs, Wooters said.

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